McLaren MP4-26 Mercedes

[bill shoe]

Pirelli says the optimum strategy is two long stints on softs then one super-short stint on mediums at the end. Maybe they have it backwards.

If McLaren are really as uncompetitive on qualy pace as they claim, then maybe they should just run medium tires in Q3 to see if they can get ahead of the occasional Sauber or Williams that eeks into Q3. This would commit McLaren to start on mediums from 8th or 10th on the grid, with two sets of new softs available for each car. Perfect.

Start the race on mediums, change to softs after the first lap, and run two long stints on new softs. They would be ~25 seconds (one pit stop delta) behind the other front runners for the whole race until the other front runners stopped for mediums two laps from the end. I think McLaren would pass most of the front running cars without ever seeing them on the track. The last two laps would be interesting.

This strategy requires quickly passing every midfield car you caught up to. Sounds like a job for Hamilton.

[wesley123]

how big is the gap actually between both tires?

Could be a good idea to run only the harder compound, but a problem is is that overtaking is a pain in the a$$ to do so, only turn one can be called an overtaking spot.

I dont know about the weather atm but my quick guess is that they are aiming for a wet race, I mean, they lost around 6 tenths in the last 3 races?

[Poleman]

That was a mighty MP4-26 (in Hamilton's hands at least) in quali mode today.Any pics of new bits on the car?Maybe the new maps that Hamilton talked about are responsible for this?

[foxivan]

Impressive lap for Lewis, yet I was surprised the gap between him and Jenson. Were the two cars identical or they are experimenting with the new exhaust on Jenson's car?

[Pierce89]

That was a mighty MP4-26 (in Hamilton's hands at least) in quali mode today.Any pics of new bits on the car?Maybe the new maps that Hamilton talked about are responsible for this?

I honestly belive it was the driver more than the car. Hamilton said he'd never felt a lap flow so well. Oh well Go Fred.

[Holm86]

Still no pictures of the experimental exhaust from yesterday?

[marcush.]

how big is the gap actually between both tires?

Could be a good idea to run only the harder compound, but a problem is is that overtaking is a pain in the a$$ to do so, only turn one can be called an overtaking spot.

I dont know about the weather atm but my quick guess is that they are aiming for a wet race, I mean, they lost around 6 tenths in the last 3 races?

it seems Macs has less performance gap than the other teams with the two tyres,but it will be academic as it´s not going to be option -option prime but intermediate tomorrow....

[Owen.C93]

Still no pictures of the experimental exhaust from yesterday?

Couldn't find anything, only visible update I could see was the new vanes on the RW endplate.

[timbo]

It looked to me that it was not as stiff as in FP1.
Wonder how much they changed their mechanical setup.

[xpensive]

Trashtalk, you ouild 80 engines, obviously you keep the best to yourselveves, nuff said.

[wesley123]

they seem to be running new vanes at the end plates

EDIT: Whoops Owen said that already

[hardingfv32]

timbo

What are you observing to make a judgement on how stiff the car was? Transitions over curbs for example?

Brian

[astracrazy]

It looked to me that it was not as stiff as in FP1.
Wonder how much they changed their mechanical setup.

Perhaps they realised that it was the only way they could gain time on red bull - concentrate on the mechanical side. slow speed corners etc.

[akshat21]

Since they already know how much RBR are blowing, maybe they just brought out an engine map which is comparable yet reliable over a race distance. And maybe some of the updates worked as well??

[Owen.C93]

Since they already know how much RBR are blowing, maybe they just brought out an engine map which is comparable yet reliable over a race distance. And maybe some of the updates worked as well??

RB use a completely different system so I doubt that was a factor.